I Want to Go Up There - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

I Want to Go Up There - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

No need to wonder what the view is like from the top of yonder hill. Just aim your 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel 4x4 up there and find out.

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reminder

Guts, Glory, Dan.

tommister2

Love seeing stuff like this. Living in Virginia my whole life I have never seen public areas like this where you can just explore. So cool...

7driver

Did you have a buddy vehicle? A PLB? Cell coverage? That was an awesome adventure, but I'd worry about backup.

darthbimmer

Cool. This is what having an offroad vehicle is all about. Where were you?

g35buf

I've taken jaunts up one lane muddy snowmobile trails with my 2015 EcoD Laramie...even though they are a true all season street tire, I've been impressed with the Goodyear Wrangler SR-As. They are an inexpensive tire too...about $150 for the 20s. They 4WD system and the EcoDs torque will never have an issue off road. That's why the new RAM Rebel with the Toyo Open Country A/Ts has been a stud off road...The Rebel has the 17s and that is the way to go if you do even 10% of your total miles on unpaved...

geezermike

Yeah, it is really cool that you can just go out and randomly "find" a hill to climb. I want the Ram Ecodiesel really bad, but I can't live with the very limited three "skinny-challenged" in-laws payload. I only ask for 1400 pounds of paylaod -- equal to a 2016 4x4 Access Cab 2.7 Tacoma. Maybe it is just time to convert everything to trailers and tow my campers and toys, which is where the Ecodiesel would excel. Hard to go very far off the road with a trailer though -- three point turns are a bit of a pain -- well maybe I just need to practice.

g35buf

geezermike said:

Yeah, it is really cool that you can just go out and randomly "find" a hill to climb. I want the Ram Ecodiesel really bad, but I can't live with the very limited three "skinny-challenged" in-laws payload. I only ask for 1400 pounds of paylaod -- equal to a 2016 4x4 Access Cab 2.7 Tacoma. Maybe it is just time to convert everything to trailers and tow my campers and toys, which is where the Ecodiesel would excel. Hard to go very far off the road with a trailer though -- three point turns are a bit of a pain -- well maybe I just need to practice.

I wouldn't get caught up in the RAM's 1,177 lb payload vs 1,600 in the F-150 SuperCrew with the 2.7 Eco. Owning a RAM ED and hauling a 14 x 6 ft demolished dock in the bed (with 600 lbs of people down 15 miles of winding cottage roads), it was hardly noticeable with no droop in the coil springs. I put 500-600 lbs of tongue weight on the hitch with 500 lbs in the bed with unnoticeable suspension stress or droop in the rear The RAM still gets 19-20 mpg towing a 5,000 lb boat. Hard to beat and you get the benefits of a coil spring ride ALL the time - loaded or not...Your in-laws will appreciate the RAMs luxury car-like ride...Mine do.

geezermike

Thanks g35buf. Your real-world experience is valuable information indeed. Everyone here has already appreciated the RAM's coil spring ride on my friends older RAM. However, I often wondered if the RAM's coils were less tolerant to "higher" loads. You have taken away my last concern. Time to start shopping!